Hidden Affections
by MauraIslesJr
Summary: Maura & Frankie file for divorce. They go to sign the papers and Maura can't sign them yet because she's still very much in love with him. Will Frankie finally admit to what he's been hiding and the reason for the divorce? Maura/Frankie
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys! If you've read any of my previous stories, you'll know that I'm a huge huge supporter of Maura and Frankie (OTP along with Callie and Arizona from Grey's Anatomy). Anyway, like always, I look forward to all of your reviews. But the one thing I do not appreciate is all of the hate in the review section. (Especially if you are calling Frankie a "man child" which by the way is an oxymoron and is not a real word.) I really hope you enjoy this emotional story... Something other than my usual "comedy".**

****I do take story suggestions so if you have any ideas please PM me!**

**xoxo - K**

**Maura's POV**

"Well.. The prenup came in handy huh?" Jane says trying to make good of the situation. It's not helping, but her intentions are good. I give her a little half smile. "I didn't want it to "come in handy" ever." I say to her. A prenup isn't something you want to have in affect.

"He loved you, a lot." She continues trying to make me feel better. I don't want to hear it. "If he loved me a lot why would he file for divorce?" I hit back at her. "I feel like he still loves me or there's still a little spark there.. But I just, I don't know! We were fantastic! Nothing was wrong.." It was sudden. He came home one day in this awkward and horrible mood and a couple weeks later, boom— a lawyer at my office. I can't take it anymore. I sink my head into my hands as Jane takes my cup to fill up my wine.

"I don't know what I'm going to do anymore.. Three years of marriage. Three, Jane. It's not like he's the horrible type of ex that you hear about on the news. He's nothing like that which makes it so much harder. Half of his stuff is out of the house, he still has his key, and— he came into the bathroom while I was taking a bath." I tell her. She gives me the look _oh that's awkward _look_._ "Yeah." I reply. "It was more awkward than you think. Full blown naked."

"It's not like he hasn't seen it all before. Like you said, three years of marriage." She says raising an eyebrow. I can't help but let out a little laugh because it actually was funny.

"You know, he told me when he was about to propose." She says. I could feel the surprise look on my face pop up. "Really?" I let out without even thinking. She nods her head. "It was right before the dinner too. He uh.. He pulled me aside, showed me the ring, and asked me if you would like it." I loved it.

"I have hope in the two of you." She says to me in a serious tone. "Yeah well they all called it." I say not thinking about that response either. Thrown back, Jane asks, "What?" Oh boy.. Now I have to tell her.

"Fancy Medical Examiner. Blue Collar Cop, well I mean detective now but at the time he was a cop. Some people even placed bets on when we were going to split. One person even said that they were surprised we made it this far." I say a little tearing up. They didn't realize how in love I was with him. I thought the same went for him, but the divorce papers are telling me otherwise.

"I wasn't even supposed to get married! My plan was to live alone with Bass for as long as he could live and then be done. He screwed up the plan! He freaking screwed up the plan and I don't know what to do!" I say with my voice crippling away from all of the crying I've done in the past couple days.

"Love wasn't for me and it obviously still isn't. To add on to all of this mess, he was the only one that I could feel real with. He was different." I say half drunk. I don't usually admit things like that when I'm sober.

"Everything with him was just different."

"Now at work, everything's going to be awkward. Cases are going to be held differently. I'm the only medical examiner he trusts and he's the only detective I trust— except for you Jane.. You're fantastic." I say half sarcastic. Even though it was the truth, she was one of the best. The four of us together were the best. "This is why you don't marry the people you work with." I say.

I look down at my watch— the watch that my soon to be ex husband gave to me on our last Christmas together, 11:35. "I better go. You have work tomorrow." I say as I get up from the chair and take my last sip of the wine.

She walks from behind the counter and gives me a hug. "Thank you Jane." I let out. I don't know what I'd do without her throughout this whole thing. "I'm sorry, I wasn't supposed to rant at all today. The past three months have been hell." I say letting go. Hey, at least it's only three months. Divorces can last up to two or three years. Prenup made the horrible process somewhat easier."

I give her another one of my half smiles. "Just because you and Frankie didn't make it, doesn't mean that you still can't be apart of this family." She says just before I walk through the door. "Don't you think that would be awkward?"

**Frankie's POV**

"Look Baby," Ma says beginning the pep talk, "it'll be okay. Things get worse before they get better." She finishes as she places a hand on my back.

"It's funny how things end up. I think I'm still in love with her Ma. But I just can't let her go through all of... You know?" I let her figure it out because I've said it some many times, I'm kind of sick of saying it. It's something only Ma and Janie know but nobody else. Maybe Tommy but I'm not sure.

"Frankie sweetie, you should tell her what's going on. The reason for your divorce is very stupid and you can't be going through this by yourself!" She says trying to convince me to tell Mayra what's happening.

I'm not letting her go through that. Especially if things don't turn out the good way... I'm not doing it.

"I've already decided that I'm not telling her. You have to let me do this my way Ma!" I try telling her. But like the many conversations we've had, she's going to try and convince me to tell her. "Okay. But what if she finds someone else and you get better? Huh? What are you going to do then?" She's testing me.

"If she's truly happy with that someone else, then I have no choice but to let her be with that person. I'm not going to sabotage her happiness just so I can have a shot at my own." But as soon as those words leave my mouth, I instantly regret it.

"SEE? This is why you should just stop what you're doing to her with all this divorce crap and tell her! I'm okay with keeping this away from her so you can tell her, but what's gonna happen when you're at work and you have to tell Lieutenant Cavanugh? It won't stay a secret for long." She says scolding me. She thinks I haven't thought it through before. I have. I know what I'm getting myself into.

"I know Ma. I will handle this by myself, I'm a big boy who was raised by wonderful and smart parents. Okay?" I say as I get up to leave.

I look at her to see her arms wide open for a hug.

"Don't die on me. You hear that Frankie? I'm not letting you die before I do because of all this stupid health crap. Okay?" She says letting a sigh out. I can already tell her eyes are watering.

"I won't. I promise." I say. But being honest, it's not a promise that can be kept because of me. It's something that's up to fate.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey Guys! Thanks so much for the support so far with the pairing. I just wanted to inform you that this story will be very hard for me to write. It's taken me about three days to just write Maura's little segment. So please don't get mad if my next update won't be for a week or more. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**xoxo - K**

**Maura's POV**

_"What took you so long?!" He whispers to me as I get into bed. "Well I was gathering papers for my—" But instead of letting me finish, he climbs on top of me and starts planting kisses everywhere from my neck up._

_"Stop it..." I say in a silly tone. But he knows I don't want him to stop._

_"I have to get up early tomorrow and you being on top of me—" and just like that, I'm cut off by his lips. "Stop talking and we won't have to take up so much time." He says looking straight into my eyes._

_"Honey I really do have to get up early. Maybe tomorrow?" I say trying to get him off of me. He gives in and slides to his side of the bed. "Okay fine. But only if 1) I get to hold you all night and you cannot try and squirm out while you're awake or 2) I get to kiss you until you fall asleep. And you have to pick one! Just remember, I'm okay with either..." He says trying to make a deal. Both sound great but I'm such a restless person it'll never work. However, kissing turns into sex and I just.. I'm not ready for that at the moment._

_"1. But I do shift a lot so you kind of have to give me a break on that one. I really do need to wake up early." I say trying to emphasize that I have no room for fooling around. "I've been sleeping next to you for years now, you think I wouldn't know what you do in your sleep?" He says._

_"If we weren't a married couple, I would so find that creepy..." I hit back at him._

_"I hate that we can't drive in together tomorrow..." I say as he wraps an arm around me and places a kiss on my forehead. "I know. But, tomorrow evening will be a different story." He says kissing my mouth. "You're beautiful." He lets out again._

_Same old same old before bed._

_"I know what I am now goodnight! I'll never wake up on time." I say trying to stop him. But the truth is, I don't think I'm as beautiful as he claims me to be. I just really need him to stop telling me._

_The next sentence that comes out of my mouth wasn't even thought through. "Does it bother you that I didn't want to have kids?"_

_But instead of being surprised, he answers with the most sincere answer. "Bother? That's a big word... I do mind a bit... But! I'd rather have you happy without kids than miserable with them. Yes, babies are beautiful. People are beautiful. You. Are. Beautiful." He says leaving a kiss on my cheek._

_"Promise me you won't leave me because of this whole thing. You have to understand that I've thought this through so many times. Too many times in fact that the pile of cons defeats the pile of pros and I just... My parents didn't have the time to raise me. I barely even got a glimpse of them. I don't want my children to not be able to see me either. We have very busy schedules and sometimes, we get called in in the middle of night!" I say trying to give him at least 1/3 of what goes through my mind when talking about children._

_"Look Maur, I'm not worried about that right now. The idea of not being able to have kids is still trying to settle in my head but it'll get there. We'll get there. You would make beautiful children if it weren't for my face... Now go to bed." He finishes attempting to shut me up. But I'm not going down._

_"What do you—"_

_"Shhhh we can talk about it in the morning. You have to wake up early." He says putting a finger to my mouth. But... I have to get up early..._

_"But—"_

_"Shhhhhh sleep. I love you..."_

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I open my eyes and look at the clock reading 6 AM.

I turn around expecting to feel his presence.

Cold and empty.

Don't cry Maura... Don't cry... You have a long day ahead of you and you cannot start it by crying. It was just a dream. A really nice dream that happens every single night. This particular dream!

Could that be the reason for the divorce? Was it because I don't want kids... No... It couldn't have been. He told me he didn't mind...

Stop. It was just a dream... That I have every night.

Surprisingly, every single morning, I wake up expecting him to be lying next to me. Waiting to be woken up by my kisses like we did when we were married.

Every day before work I would wake up before him and just plant kisses on his face to wake him up. He'd eventually wake up but wouldn't tell me and surprises me by flipping over.

Every morning before work.

But now everything is different. I get up a little later than usual. Take my shower. Get papers ready. Leave.

Nothing exciting or worth getting up for anymore.

I let out a sigh before I get up out of bed and walk into the bathroom. The cold tile hitting my feet each time I take a step. Pausing, I face the mirror. Well, I'll have fun covering those bags up with makeup.

Before removing my clothes, I get into the shower to turn it on. Afterwards, I place my thumb and index finger on my wedding ring finger to take it off but I feel nothing.

Oh yeah...

Every single morning for the past couple of months, I've forgotten that I no longer wear the wedding ring. Beautiful ring. The emptiness is killing me inside.

What if things were different... What if I did have a child with him?

**Jane's POV**

"I don't know what we're going to do Ma, or what you could possibly do." I say into the phone.

"Listen to your mother. I've got tricks up my sleeve that you haven't even seen yet." She replies very forcefully. Well, one thing is for sure, she's a very determined woman in order to be doing this.

"He still loves her. You know that right? He's still in love with her and the only reason why he filed for divorce was because of... Well you know..." Ma wasn't going to say it. The word hurt her too much. I can she's already crying.

"Okay. Just do you and I'll hope for the best." I say trying to calm her down a little. "Whoa whoa whoa there Janie, if I'm going down, you're going down with me. I don't care if you don't want to. This is your brother and your best friend that we're talking about!"

What in the hell can I do to be able to get them back together? Frankie doesn't even listen to me during cases, what makes her think he's going to listen to me now?!

"Excuse me..." I say a little too loudly and with a little too much attitude. "Oh you heard me Jane Clementine Rizzoli. You want them back together as much as I do? You're going to help me." She shoots back... Mama Rizzoli being a little feisty this morning.

"I don't even know how I can help you!" I say attempting to get out of this. Yes I want them together. Yes they are happy together. But no. I don't want to help in my mother's little trick. Although it may be genius, I promised Maura that I wouldn't pry into her business with Frankie unless she asked me to.

"Well, I have this story planned out I just need to get Maura in a room alone. Every time I go down to her office, she has some excuse to just get up and leave! I don't know if it's because Frankie's my son or if because I'm technically the only mother figure she has at the moment." What on earth does this have to do with me?

"So..." I say trying to get her to elaborate her plan.

"So I need you to just tell her that I need to talk to her. Make sure she doesn't run." She replies. "Okay. I'll try but I don't know how."

"Good. Now have a nice day and get off the phone before you get late to work! I hope the plan works." She says sending me off.

I hope it works too. The reason for the divorce was very— it just wasn't smart of Frankie to give up like that. It's sweet that he wants to spare her but... Come on! He was raised better than that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the delay on this story. I don't know if I've mentioned this before but this story has been the hardest out of all four of my stories so far! I have no idea what it is I just don't know what to write for each chapter. I'm working on it but you do also have to understand that I am in high school and sadly, the work takes so much time and effort plus after school activities! So with that being said, I hope you understand and don't get upset that I abandoned you if I don't update for a week or so! Enjoy.**

**xoxo- K**

**Frankie's POV**

_"You need to wake up or we're both going to be late." She says kissing me everywhere on my face. I've been awake for a couple minutes now but I really do love being woken up like this._

_"What day is it..." I ask almost half asleep. "Friday!" She says... No... Yells._

_Friday. The best days. "Well someone's happy." I say trying to give her a kiss on the cheek. But instead, I end up bumping my head into hers. Ouch... "I'm sorry... Are you okay?" I say leaning in to kiss the part of her head that I hit. "I'm okay. It's okay because it's Friday!" She replies in the happiest tone._

_Friday. Every other Friday is date night and she gets to choose tonight. No matter where one of chooses, the other one has to go. "Where are we going tonight?" I say as she straddles herself on me while I'm lying down. "Well. Since you decided to surprise me last time, I thought it was only fair for me to surprise you." She says in excitement before leaning down to kiss me._

_"We need to talk about yesterday." She says in a serious tone. I let out a sigh and say, "We do." But I really don't want to. The topic isn't something that's very warm... "I know that you feel very strong about having kids. But I _

_Her honey blonde hair looks absolutely beautiful in the morning sun. Her skin, perfection. Being honest, everything about her is perfection. To me at least. "I love you." She says quickly before jumping off and heading in the shower. "I love you too." I say closing my eyes to try and get twenty more minutes of sleep. But, I hear the shower running and see her clothes fall to the floor. I lose all of my self control._

_I jump out of bed and head into the bathroom where all of her clothes are sprawled out into little sections around the floor. I try and stay incognito and take off everything I have on, but Maura with her fantastic usage of all her five senses, can already hear me. "Are you trying to help me save some water or are you just trying to take a peak?" She asks in a very sassy tone._

_"Well, I mean, if you want me to go I can." I say, but as soon as the sentence is finished, she sticks her hand out of the shower door and pulls me in. _

_"I love you." I say as I push her against the wall. "I love you too..." She lets out just before she leans into kiss me._

BOOM

Holy shit...

It's just the thunder. I'll be okay. Nothing to worry about.

I tilt my head to the right expecting to see my beautiful wife— soon to be ex. But I realize that she won't be there. It was just a dream... A dream that I never usually have.

2:30 am.

Back to bed.

_"I don't understand." She says half way yelling. "What was wrong? I just. I thought you loved me... You didn't even have the decency to come up and tell me. You had someone from outside of this relationship and your family, to come and deliver me papers that I refuse to sign!"_

_"It's for the best." I respond back trying to pack a bag._

_"Frankie, you can't be serious." She says trying to laugh a little... But she's too frustrated and angry. "Stop! You're not going anywhere until you tell me what went wrong." She says closing the bag preventing me from packing._

_We both pause and look into each other's eyes. I really hope she doesn't see the love I have for her in my eyes because that would give her an excuse to make me stay._

_"Look. If you tell me what made you do this, then I guess I have no choice than to let you leave. But you can't answer with an unreasonable, because. Okay?" She says looking at me with a little glimpse of hope in her eyes._

_I can't tell her the truth... It'll ruin her._

_"It just wasn't working out Maura." I say instantly regretting it. I know what her next question is and I don't even need to hear her say it. "Was it because I don't want children? Frankie if that's the case then—"_

_It's not and she should trust me on that one. It would never be about the kids._

_"No! Maura it isn't and it will never be. Your decision to not have kids has been okay with me and we've gone over this hundreds of times!" I say interrupting her trying to resist the urge to just grab her face and kiss her one last time. "I have to go." I let out before I eventually do kiss her._

_"Frankie, you're not leaving!" She screams as I put a foot out the door. Should I? Fuck it._

_I run over to her, grab her in my hands and just kiss her with everything I have. Knowing that it'll be our last. She immediately kisses me back and I can't hold it in anymore. My hands go from her face down to her hips forgetting about the papers and everything else._

_Her hands begin to wander around my stomach and make it underneath my shirt. What am I doing... I have to go._

_We both split apart for a chance to take a breath from the heated kiss, resting my forehead on hers. Her eyes closed. I take the piece of that's in front of her, and put it aside._

_She opens her eyes and I lean in again but barely touching her lips remembering that I was just about to walk out the door two minutes ago. She feels the hesitance. "Please. Stay." She lets out beginning to cry._

_She doesn't know how much I want her to._

_I put my hands down to my sides and pick up my suitcase. "I'm sorry. My time is running out..." I say before turning around and stepping outside the door._

BEEP BEEP BEEP

My heart is beating so fast. There it was. The dream that usually happens.

6:05. I haven't had to be woken up my an alarm clock in three years. Three short good years. Maura always did it for me. But now, it's all different. I wake up on my own and have to keep the nightmares that occur every night, to myself.

Every. Single. Night. I've had that dream– I can't even consider it to be a dream. It's more of a nightmare.

The plan was never to leave her. I wanted to stay with her for the rest of my life. There won't ever be one like Maura.

I don't know how I'll be able to carry on with my life without her by my side. But I need to. I can't be a burden for the remainder of my life.

Well, I better get up, while I can. On my own.

**Angela's POV**

There has got to be something that I can do to help them! I can just sit here and watch them go through with the divorce especially if both of them are still in love with each other. It's not happening.

"Janie!" I say into the phone when she finally picks up after the longest wait. "She signs the papers tomorrow and we have go to find a way for her to stop. He's being selfish and we can't let him do this to himself and Maura."

"I was waiting for you to come to your senses and say something like that." She says with a semi laugh through the phone. What is that supposed to mean?

"Well, one things for sure. He's not ready to separate! But he already signed the papers. Maura's the only one they're waiting for." Frankie signed the papers probably a week after getting them. He decided on doing it a different way and didn't do it face to face like divorcees normally would do.

"Well she asked me to come over tonight. Maybe I could just ask then? I think work would be a little too harsh on her since she's already dealing with the dead." She says sounding sorry for her. Honestly, who wouldn't be? When your husband just decides to leave you one day without explaining.

In his defense, it's a pretty good reason... But it's still so selfish of him. I raised him better than that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Jane's POV**

"Good morning Maura!" I say as I walk into her office. I didn't even have to look at her to know that she wasn't feeling herself.

She looks up like she doesn't recognize my voice and gives me a little nod. "It's not but okay." She says in a very mean attitude. But I let it slide because she's planning on signing the papers today.

"Look! Ma is coming down at around 10 to talk to you. Please just listen, stay and talk to her. She's not here to harass you or do anything bad. She just wants to talk. You know her Maur. She doesn't want to hurt you." Which is the truth. She doesn't. But Ma could say something to screw it up.

"Jane I really don't feel like a confrontation today. Maybe another day." She says not even looking up from the stack of papers that she needs to finish.

"You have to talk to her sooner or later. If you think she's blaming this divorce on you than–"

"You think that I should be blamed?" She says finally looking up. "I didn't want this to happen! I was expecting to be married to him for the rest of my life! What the hell makes anyone think that I should be the one to blame when he's the one who served those papers?" She says half way yelling at this point.

But again, I cut her some slack because of the whole divorce. "No one's blaming you for anything Maura. No one's blaming anyone in fact!"

Oh I really shouldn't have said that...

"No one's blaming anyone... I'm sorry. What do you mean by that because I recall him walking out on me for no apparent reason!" Now. Now she was yelling.

"Okay okay I'm sorry." I say forgetting that she doesn't know what I do. That probably wasn't a good idea.

"Don't apologize. It's- it's not your fault that I'm being so mean... I started signing the papers." She says apologizing.

Shit no... No Maura no! "Did you finish?" I ask trying not to lead on any ideas that could spill. "Actually, I was just reading through them. I couldn't sign. I attempted to. But I couldn't. I'm not ready." She says in a much calmer voice. "I don't think I'll ever be." She mutters under her breath as she lets out a deep sigh. I think it was an attempt to not be heard but I did anyway.

"You know you don't have to go through this alone Maur. Call me up whenever you're ready and I'll sit there with you, okay?" I say trying to comfort her.

It's the least I can do at this point.

"Okay, thank you Jane. It just has to be soon... I don't want to keep him from his freedom. If he wants out then I'll have to give it to him..." She says in the most depressing tone I've ever heard come out of her.

I have to tell her... But I can't!

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"It's Korsak. I have to go, we'll talk later. Maybe tonight?" I say as I turn to leave. "Sure. Bye Jane."

She deserves to know the truth.

**Maura's POV**

But if the shot was injected in the hip, how on earth would the bullet end up next to the heart?

Maybe if— "Hello Maura." A familiar voice says from above me. I jump a little because I hadn't recognize the person standing in front of me.

"Angela. Good to see you." Oh crap... I've able to avoid her for three months and now there are no excuses.

"You too. It's been a while since we've talked. Is everything okay?" She asks with kind eyes. No. It's not "okay" nor will it ever be okay. But I just give her a smile instead. "I've been better." I reply. "I just... I'll be okay. No need to worry about me."

I stick the papers back into the file and gesture her to take a seat. "I know this whole thing has been well, I don't want to us harsh words but, a disaster." She starts off looking away from me. "I don't have anything to say that'll help you. I don't think anyone does actually," which is false. If Frankie were to walk through those doors telling me he wants to give it another chance, it would help, a lot. "But I uh... I can tell that there's still something there."

Is she trying to give me a lecture on how I should fight for him? Because it's not as easy as she thinks.

"Angela, I don't—" I try saying but get interrupted, as usual. "Just listen, okay? Then you can just tell me anything you want. I know I'm his mother and during these types of things you're supposed to side with your child. But I'm not taking sides."

You're supposed to take sides...

"I knew this couple, my Maria and her husband Jonathan. Beautiful couple. They had a little girl named Annabelle, well she's not so little now. But that's besides the point. They were one of the loveliest families I've ever met. Really sweet! One day, Jonathan was laid off from his job as an engineer. After that, everything just fell apart. Including their marriage." This is going to be one of those stories were it gets really sentimental in the end. I have to finish those papers Angela! Come on!

"They got a divorce! But they still had Annabelle so they shared joint custody and had no choice but to speak to each other. When they were both busy, I would help take care of her. She would tell me all of these stories where her mom would drop her off at her dads house, she would get out of the car just to make sure that she was settled in. But none of them thought that was the real reason. For two years, two years, they went on like that. Giving little small glances and smiling at each other. Once, I even saw a hug. They weren't over each other." She pauses to take a big sigh. Uh oh...

"One day, he finally realized that he wanted her back. She knew the whole time that she was meant to be with him but kept her mouth shut because she was afraid that he wouldn't feel the same way. So they went on for months without saying anything. He was waiting for the 'perfect' moment to tell her." I was actually interested in this story and accidentally said, "But there was no moment perfect enough..." Which is false. Almost any moment is perfect moment to tell someone that you love them.

She nodded in agreement. "He thought there wasn't. Until one day when he just couldn't take it anymore. He drove over to her house to tell her. But, she wasn't home. Although, Annabelle was! She told him that she was supposed to be home in thirty minutes. He didn't mind the wait. So that's what they did! They waited... And waited... And waited." What is she trying to say?

"They waited for six hours without a single call. After 10 o'clock, they started getting concerned so they filed a missing persons even though it was less than 24 hours. The hospital finally called them and told them that uh... She was at the hospital." Oh no...

"They wouldn't tell them what had happened until they got there. When they did, it was too late. She died two minutes before they got there... Car accident. She died before any of them had the chance to tell the other how they felt." She grabbed my hand in a form of comfort. "He went home the next day and shot himself. Left a note saying that he couldn't bare to live without her knowing how he felt... Poor Annabelle found him in her mother's bedroom of the house she was living in. She's still alive, but barely, depression. She doesn't like to talk about it."

Why did she tell me this horrid story?

"Look, I just. I don't want you and Frankie to end up like Maria and Jonathan. I know that telling him won't be easy. But it'll be worth it. He needs to know how you feel before you sign those papers. There isn't much time left. I know a thing or two about divorces and when you don't feel the spark there anymore, you won't be as sad and stressed."

"I don't know Angela. If he wants to leave I can't be the one to hold him back! He's a grown man and I can't make him change his decision." I say trying to get it through her head that there is nothing I can do.

"I'm just saying, you two were a beautiful couple! The relationship is something worth fighting for..."

_Something worth fighting for._

I don't even know what's worth fighting for at this point. I don't like to think that I've given up, because I haven't! But I just don't want to hold him back from whatever it is that he wants.

"We'll see Maura. We'll see." She says as she stands up and gets ready to leave.

How does she even know that I... Am I that readable?

**Angela's POV**

"I don't know Jane..." I say into the phone. "She doesn't seem very optimistic about anything anymore. I spoke to her and it was as if she just thinking about Frankie the whole entire time. But hopefully, she got something out of it."

Hopefully she did. I know that this whole thing has been hard on her. Divorce is a hard thing to go through. It's one of the most painful especially if you're still in love with the other.

"Well I think I have something... I'm not sure how good it is but it's still an idea that we could use." She says and I swear my heart lifted a couple inches.

"Let me hear it!" I say a little too anxiously. But I don't really care. As long as she has something, we're good.

"I was thinking that I could ask Frankie for drinks after work, but instead of driving him to the bar, I'd end up driving him to Maura's... Unless that doesn't work. Or! We could do it the other way so I ask Maura but bring her to Frankie's instead." It's not a bad idea... But won't that be a little difficult to play off?

"Okay but what are you going to do once you get to their house?"

She gives me a blank stare as if she hasn't been thinking that over yet along with a very long pause. "Uh... I'll think of something. Unless you want to give me an idea." She says giving me those little puppy eyes that she used to give when she was little.

What if... Frankie goes to Maura's to pick up the rest of his stuff with Jane? Then Jane drives away... And they have no choice but to speak to each other because he doesn't have a car.

"Do you know if Frankie's stuff is cleared out of her house?" I say trying to start my hopefully successful plan.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys! I am so completely sorry for the delay on the update. I do have to admit that this has been the hardest fanfic I have ever written because I didn't even think through the events that could possibly happen! It took me about a week to figure out what happens to Frankie and I guarantee it'll take me a month to figure out what to do with Maura and Frankie. So please please PLEASE forgive me on this delay. For my new readers, I room is that this does not usually happen. Stories usually get updated within a 7 day span. The other reason for the delay is that I am a first year high school student and other than school, I spend most of my days at dance. As a person who appreciates their privacy, I have a hard time writing stories at my dance studio. So I do have to wait to go home. Once again, I am so very sorry for this long long delay and I hope you enjoy!**

**xoxo - K**

**Maura's POV**

I need some "me" time. Away from work. Away from people. Away from the divorce. Just. Away.

The sad thing is, I haven't gone away by myself since I started seeing Frankie... He would come with me on business trips and I don't know.

I lift my wine glass to take another sip when suddenly I hear the rustling of keys at the front door. Frankie.

My heart suddenly starts beating ten times faster than normal. I can already feel my blood pressure going up. I completely forgot about those couple boxes he had in his room... We need a better system rather than him just barging in at the worst times. I have to do something to avoid the awkward conversation that might lie ahead. The next thing I know, my head and feet swing on opposite ends of the sofa and I close my eyes pretending to be asleep.

"Maura!" Says a familiar female voice. Jane? What's she doing here?

"Her car's here but she's not answering. Maybe she's in the shower?" She says out loud into the air. Who is she possibly speaking to?

"No, you could hear the pipes from the shower down here and they're not on. It's 7:30 so she's probably resting if she had a long day." There he is. Frankie.

He lets out a little laugh and walks over in to my directions. "See? Wine class and her shoes. Right where she always leaves them." It's like I can hear a smile display on his face. "Shhh... She's sleeping." He says as he walks even closer. He reaches a hand out to touch me as he bends down to get to my level.

"Don't." Jane says trying to stop him. But he touches me anyway. His warm hand against my seemingly cold skin. "You should tell her." Jane says once again butting in. But I want her to keep going because I need to know.

"I can't. It's not that she's not strong enough to handle this, because I know she is. She's gone through a lot in her life and I don't want her to go through this. Especially after it's over." He says taking his hands off of me. Stay...

"Well, we better get the boxes before she wakes up. I don't want to scare her." He says standing up. But as soon as he takes a step in Jane's direction, her phone starts to ring. "Korsak pulled me into a meeting... You'll be okay here, right?" She says

"Yeah it's okay. I just have two more boxes but you can go. I shouldn't be very long." He says as he walks up the stairs.

"Just tell the poor woman already." Jane whispers before she leaves.

Tell me what?

**Frankie's POV**

Why didn't I just put this crap with the other boxes? Would've saved me the trip.

But then it hits me. I tried to see string out seeing Maura as long as I possibly could. But these are the last of the boxes which means it's the last time I'll be in here.

I make it down the stairs and suddenly, I see that Maura's shoes are no longer near the rug and her wine glass isn't there either... I look over at the door and there she is. Standing against it.

"Hey." She lets out in a small tone. I nod my head as I get down the rest of the steps. "These are the last two. I'll be out of your way from now on." I say looking in to her eyes. But instead of moving aside, she stands there with her feet firmly planted in front of the door.

For a moment, it's just the two of us. Standing there. She looks beautiful.

"You're not leaving." She says in a firm tone. More determined this time. "Not until I actually get to speak for once." Her hand covering the doorknob.

I take a step back because I know that she needs to let it out. "Can we just take a seat?" She says gesturing me over to the couch. I head over there behind her, not knowing what's in store for us ahead.

She takes a seat on the coffee table, directly across from me with our knees almost touching. She never sits on the coffee table. Ever.

"Look." She starts off by saying, clearing her throat. "If you want out of this relationship. Fine. Go. Leave. I can't make you stay." She continues as she grabs my hands and looks into my eyes. "But I'm not letting you leave without an explanation. For three months, you've put me through this pain that I could possibly forgive you for. Although, the one thing I cannot forgive you for is not telling me why you're leaving. Why you chose, out of the sudden blue, to get up and leave."

I just want to take her into my arms and hold her, kiss her again. But I can't. She doesn't deserve any of this.

"So why? Why did you leave?" Instead of replying, my cowardly self just stares at her. "So it is the children thing. Frankie I will have twenty children with you if that means you'll-" But I can't have her go one anymore.

"It has never been and it never will be about having kids! I don't want you living an unhappy life with so many proprieties. Maura, I get it. I've gotten it the last couple times we've talked about this." I say as patiently as I possibly can. But it definitely is not working out.

"Then what? What the hell is it Frankie? I've been losing sleep over this, this has taken over my work ethics, it has taken over every single thought that happens. I need to know or I will go crazy." She says standing up almost yelling at this point. I should tell her. But I can't.

"Maura. This isn't because of you. Okay? I promise." Maybe that'll work? I don't know.

"Well you know, you also promised to be with me forever, in sickness and in health, but guess what?" She fires back. Well then.

"Trust me on this." I say putting my hand out to touch hers. But she instantly brings her hand closer to her. "Trust? You want me to trust you?" She says yelling.

"Do you even know a thing or two about the word? Well here's an example. I TRUSTED you with my emotions. I TRUSTED that you would stay forever. Not to mention that I TRUSTED you with my life." She screams to the point where I hear her voice break down as if she might be crying.

Please don't cry...

"I mean the only possible reason is you having an affair and I-" An affair? Why the hell would she even think that?

"Whoa! No. No. I would never. I've seen the impacts it has on people. My mother! My father! I wouldn't even be as stupid to think of having an affair. Especially on you..." I say loosing it at first, but trying to bring it back together. I don't want her to feel like the bad guy here.

Even though I know I am.

"Then what? What the hell is it?" She says sounding defeated. I can't do it anymore.

"I'm dying."

**Jane's POV**

"Yeah I just left. She was sleeping on the couch." I say into the phone to my anxious mother. "I don't know apparently she naps." Never struck her as the type.

"Do you think she'll wake up?" Ma asks in an eager tone. "I don't know Ma, he was pretty gentle with her when he saw her sleeping. She probably won't."

"WELL GET YOUR BUTT BACK IN THERE AND WAKE HER UP." She says screaming into the phone. I think I just lost all hearing in my right ear. No matter how afraid I am of her, I can't do it. "No Ma... They need to figure it out on their own. If she doesn't wake up, then we can just pull out plan B!" I say in total hopefulness.

"There is no plan B! Just plan A!" She says a little less louder than when she was screaming at me. "What?!" I say a little too loud. "The whole point of plan A was to prevent there from being a plan B! I was hoping that we wouldn't need a plan A because my first plans usually works!" Maybe Ma should've done this on her own and I should've just watched...

"Okay... Okay! I'll just watch from the window and see what happens." I say trying to make up for the whole plan thing. "Good. You better be calling me back with good news Janie. If not, don't even consider calling until you do!"

This is going to be one hell of a- oh why isn't Maura on the couch...


	6. Chapter 6

**Frankie's POV**

"I'm dying..." I say trying to stop her from assuming the worst. If I let her go on, I'm afraid she might assume that I'm having an affair or that I don't love her anymore. Which isn't true at all. I'm in love with her to the point where I can't climb out of it. Despite looking beautiful, she just is beautiful. A beautiful personality that I just can't help but love... That's why I decided not to tell her.

"You... You're what?" She says in a quiet whisper. She doesn't believe me. Or she wants to at least. For a moment, we're just standing there, in silence. "Frankie this isn't a joke. Death isn't something to joke about. You and I both know what it brings out in people. We see it everyday!" She says in a serious tone that, not gonna lie, I'm very afraid of. That's what'll make her a great mom someday. The fact that she's ruthless... But I don't know if she'll be ruthless after she finds out.

I open my mouth to speak but instead, she does it for me. "It's not the..." She slowly lets out, finally realizing that I am very much serious and knowing what it is.

I give her a small nod, knowing what she wants to say. "Tumor." I whisper, just to make sure that we're on the same page. She lifts her head and looks into my eyes. The pain she must be feeling... "But the doctors said it wouldn't impact anything. I looked at the MRI and the CT scan! I'm not a neurologist but I still knew! It's benign. It was in a spot where it couldn't grow... You were fine."

"I know Maur." I say pulling her in for a hug. But she resists. "NO! No! This isn't possible. I don't understand..." She says falling to her knees. I try and catch her but she takes me down with her.

_When I was six, I fell off my bike and hit my head on the curb. My parents took me to the hospital to make sure everything was okay. After going through the whole procedure, I went in for an MRI. That's when they found it. The tumor._

_Doctor's went in to operate on it but said that it was in an okay spot to not remove. It wasn't growing and it wasn't impacting me in a negative way. I go in once a year just to make sure it's still okay. _

"What happened..." She asks in a small whisper. I let out a sigh because I knew it was coming. I was going to have to tell her sooner or later.

"Four months ago, before you know... I had you know, the yearly appointment." I can't continue. I can see it in her eyes that she can't handle it anymore. Her eyes are suddenly filled with tears that threaten to fall.

"That's when you knew..." She silently says to herself. I give her a small nod. "But how you come you didn't tell me about the appointment? It wasn't on the schedule." She asks all confused. "They called me on my cell and told me that I was due for an appointment really soon. So I took the next opening spot, just to get it over with, while you were in that meeting. I didn't want to interrupt you so I went. I was planning on telling you after the meeting but then they told me... I am unbelievably sorry..." I say still holding her close to me.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" She says, a tear finally lets loose and falls down her soft cheek. "We had four months that we could've spent together doing who knows what! But you just... You wasted it. You put us through so much crap when we would've been just a little bit happy!" She says looking up at me. The pain in her eyes is like a knife right into my heart.

"How much time do you have now?" She says softly as if she doesn't want to know the answer. "Around four, maybe five months... That's if I'm lucky." I answer trying to remind her that this is definite.

She let out a little huff and you can already feel her feeling of defeat. "I uh... I should go to bed..." She says trying to stand up. I let go of her, but she grabs my stomach and pulls me in for a hug. I wrap my arms around her small body and feel a tear hit my chest.

"I'm so sorry..." I whisper, not knowing she wanted to hear it again.

I really am sorry. I just didn't want to be a burden...

**Jane's POV**

"Well what do you mean when you say Maura's not on the couch anymore?! She was sleeping wasn't she?" Ma says screaming into my ear.

"I don't know. She was-"

But the next thing I know, I'm interrupted by a very loud scream. Maura.

Now she knows.

I can only imagine what she must be going through. The incredibly smart medical examiner who usually is never wrong. But this time, this time everyone was wrong, including her. A benign tumor suddenly turning into Frankie's reason to die. Anyone's worst nightmare.

Being his wife nonetheless, you can never forget that.

Telling Maura was probably hard enough. No one knew about the tumor that had taken over a small place in Frankie's brain. Declaring its new home. He was very secretive about, rightfully so. "_Hey so I have a tumor but it's benign so it's okay! I'm okay!" _Was not exactly a good date topic. Or a good topic at all.

Geez and now finding out that she's wrong! Oh goodness. Coming from a place of work where being wrong is rarely ever the option, it won't be good.

"Ma, I gotta go." I whisper into the phone trying to make sure that they don't hear me. "No you aren't allowed to go until they make up!" She insisted as she almost took my left ear drum out. "Ma. Listen. He told her and now she uh. It's not good so I'll just call you when I get home okay?!"

I hate being all snarky to my mother. But there's no other way to tame the woman!

Maybe if I get close to the front door, I'll be able to hear better. Okay, I just have to find a way to get out of this bush and- thorn. There is a thorn right there. Oh and there... Ouch! Goodness Maura you need to find time to garden...

Okay, just be quiet and tip toe over there. Can't be that hard right? I mean, there aren't any thorns! I finally get my hands on the cold door and already I'm able to hear them without having to put my ear against the door.

"Why didn't you just tell me..." I hear her let out.

I wish I could just walk through that door right now and defend her. She doesn't deserve. Hell! He doesn't even deserve the freaking tumor. No one does.

Why did he have to do this to her? Why couldn't he just put in his big boy panties and tell her! Would've made things much easier anyway. For everyone.

**Maura's POV**

Stop crying. Crying gets you nowhere and won't help the damn situation.

Goodness out of all the possibilities, this had to be the one. I need more tissues if my eyes are just going to continue this endless rush of tears. That means I have to go downstairs... But my bed is so comfortable at the moment I just don't want to move.

Is this what it's going to be like from now on? Geez I feel even worse compared to when he filed for divorce. Now I know the truth and I was much better off just not knowing! Not knowing that the tumor wasn't actually benign- like everyone said it was. Including me...

I say the stupid tumor was benign.

I was wrong... In the medical field you can never be wrong. Well, you can. But it's not good to be wrong. It's not good to be certain of yourself, have evidence supporting yourself, and still come out wrong in the end. It's not good!

I shouldn't be blaming it on myself... It's not fair to me. But how can I be thinking about myself in a time like this? Frankie. Out of all people. It had to be him.

Why does this happen to every man I love?

I should just give up now. Grow old alone... But I can't! I can't do that when there are so many wonderful things in life! But I can't do it alone... I wanted to do them all with Frankie. Heck! I still want to do them all with him. But I don't know if I'm even ready to face the fact that he's dying...


End file.
